After several years talking of retirement, Paul Newton is calling it quits. His longtime vacuum sales and service shop, now known as P&L Vacuum, has been a fixture at 909 D St. since 1952. Newton, 71, plans to shutter the business at the end of the month.

Downtown San Rafael has been honored as one of just 14 communities designated as the first cohort of California Cultural Districts. This distinction recognises the contributions of the many arts-based organizations within the district, as well as the community engagement which helps the Downtown thrive.

The pink meters dotting the streets of downtown San Rafael have garnered $1,100 in spare change for Marin’s homeless. Ten meters were installed in San Rafael’s downtown corridor in September, in a collaboration between the city, the Business Improvement District and the Downtown Streets Team — a program that gets the homeless off the street and back to work.

An eclectic, independent, authentic district, Downtown San Rafael boasts some of the most highly acclaimed restaurants in Marin, a diverse retail corridor, and a high concentration of professional services for every need.